It is with great joy that we confirm the release of our Finnish colleague who was abducted on 20 May. The well-being of our colleague is being assessed at this time. We request privacy for our colleague and our colleague’s family.

We are also still mourning the death of our German colleague and the Afghan house guard who were killed in the initial attack on the Kabul home of our colleagues. Our prayers and thoughts continue to be with both families as we all deal with this tragic loss.

We would like to thank those who worked tirelessly to ensure our Finnish colleague’s safe return. We especially thank the Afghan authorities and the people of Afghanistan who have extended warmth, care and compassion, not only during this very difficult time, but over the course of the last 16 years since Operation Mercy began working in Afghanistan.

To honour the privacy of those involved, we will not confirm the names of our colleagues or the guard. Nor can we offer further information about this incident. Thank you for your understanding and for respecting our request for privacy as we continue to support our Finnish colleague and grieve two tragic deaths.